I. The early age of the Medieval Period was considered dark. This is because of the way religion made itself the basis of everything. Religion controlled people; people who came up with ideas against the church were excommunicated. Therefore there was less literature and art because many people feared the punishment of the church.
II. Christianity had a strong hold over people.
----A. People feared punishment of church.
--------1. Opposition resulted in excommunication
--------2. It could also result in the person's labeling a heretic
--------3. Due to fear, there was less and less free thinking
----B. Due to the desperateness of the time, people needed a strong idea to follow.
--------1. The Black Plague caused confusion and panic.
--------2. Frequent invasions resulted in destruction and further panic.
--------3. There was a collapse of society.
III. Lack of information and knowledge was another reason why the period was considered "dark"
----A. It led to further ignorance
--------1. There was a decline in culture
--------2. People were easier to control
----B. It gave further power to the church
--------1. Education was limited to church goers.
--------2. Books written mainly by monks.
--------3. Ideas against church could be easily silenced
IV. The term "dark age" in general is outdated.
----A. "Dark Age" was first used by Petrach, around the 14th century.
--------1.
V.
II During the early part of the medieval time period the church had a strong hold on what people were able to do. If you did not agree with what the church wanted to do it resulted in excommunication. Excommunication is an ecclesiastical censure depriving a person of the rights of church membership. Sometimes it also resulted in the person's labeling a heretic. Because of this, people were afraid to express there on opinion and did less and less free thinking. Also, due to the desperateness of the time, people needed a strong idea to follow. Problems were the Black Plague which caused confusion and panic. Plus there were frequent invasions which resulted in destruction and further panic. A result of all this was a collapse of the society.
III. Lack of information and general knowledge was another reason why this period is considered "dark." Many people were unable to read or write outside the church, so knowledge was twisted toward religion and not toward logic and science. This led following generations to sink deeper in ignorance, causing a vicious cycle. Because of the ignorance of the people, they were easier to manipulate. The church gained even more power since education was limited to church goers. Books were only handwritten by monks. The increase of power toward the church gave it the ability to silence any opposition, and thus causing less scholars for open-minded thinking. Many of the philosophies and ideas of the classical times became lost as the church replaced them with their own ideals.
IV. The term "The Dark Ages", which we use to describe the early Medieval period is somewhat inaccurate. The term was used as early as the 14th century by Petrarch due to the lack of Latin literature of the time. However, due to the influence of Petrarch many people started using the phrase and it stuck, mainly because of romantic literature. However, many people of the time were biased. At a time when many new inventions were taking place the people thought of past people as barbaric and saw themselves as better and more advanced, and therefore thought of the older times as dark, while they thought of themselves as being the best. Therefore the term the dark ages may represent personal opinion rather than being based upon fact.
There are characteristics that make a time period dark, most of which include either a collapse of society or a cultural decline. The Early Medieval Period is considered "dark" for several reasons. One is because of the religious absolutism at the time, where a person had two options: Follow the Catholic church or die. Catholic derives from several words that mean "universe" or "whole." A person who followed any other sect were considered heretics. Any opposition to the Catholic church resulted in excommunication. http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/middle-ages-religion.htm The Enlightenment, completely opposite from the Dark Ages, was when people began relying on science and logic rather than blind faith. The Enlightenment marks an end to the censorship of ideas (KevinS)
Several sources claim the Dark Ages were called so because little was known about them at the time. Indeed, the "Dark Ages" was first used by Petrarch, who lived in the 14th century. Few archeological finds and lack of knowledge in general resulted in the categorization of "dark" by the scholars looking back on the era. http://www.allabouthistory.org/the-dark-ages.htm The Renaissance philosophers believed they were rediscovering civilization, and considered the time periods before them barbaric. So, according to those sources, the term is simply outdated. (KevinS)
One reason why this period was considerd 'dark' was because there was no form of goverment when tribes began to turn into kindoms. The churchs began to take over and ruled everything. They believed that Christ had granted them goverment power. They forced everyone to become a christian.
"The History of the Dark Ages." History Channel. 2005. 1 Apr 2009 <http://www.history.com/content/darkages/history-of-the-dark-ages>.
This is also considerd the the dark because of all the wars that took place. During this time the Normans took over England in the battle of Hasting. King Harald of England also invaded England in the Battle of Stamford Bridge.
"The Conquest of England." the Norman Conquest . 1 Apr 2009 <http://normanconquest.co.uk/>. (JimmyA)
The Medieval period was known as the dark ages because people relied on religion to answer their questions. It also restricted a lot of literature and art. People were were considered dark because of superstition and ignorance. An era of ignorance, superstition, or social chaos or repression. http://www.answers.com/topic/dark-ages -DaveG
Also, there was little reading or writing during the dark ages outside of the church, and because of this without the church they could not become more informed so they were either uneducated or brainwashed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Middle_Ages - DaveG
I. The early age of the Medieval Period was considered dark. This is because of the way religion made itself the basis of everything. Religion controlled people; people who came up with ideas against the church were excommunicated. Therefore there was less literature and art because many people feared the punishment of the church.
II. Christianity had a strong hold over people.
----A. People feared punishment of church.
--------1. Opposition resulted in excommunication
--------2. It could also result in the person's labeling a heretic
--------3. Due to fear, there was less and less free thinking
----B. Due to the desperateness of the time, people needed a strong idea to follow.
--------1. The Black Plague caused confusion and panic.
--------2. Frequent invasions resulted in destruction and further panic.
--------3. There was a collapse of society.
III. Lack of information and knowledge was another reason why the period was considered "dark"
----A. It led to further ignorance
--------1. There was a decline in culture
--------2. People were easier to control
----B. It gave further power to the church
--------1. Education was limited to church goers.
--------2. Books written mainly by monks.
--------3. Ideas against church could be easily silenced
IV. The term "dark age" in general is outdated.
----A. "Dark Age" was first used by Petrach, around the 14th century.
--------1.
V.
II During the early part of the medieval time period the church had a strong hold on what people were able to do. If you did not agree with what the church wanted to do it resulted in excommunication. Excommunication is an ecclesiastical censure depriving a person of the rights of church membership. Sometimes it also resulted in the person's labeling a heretic. Because of this, people were afraid to express there on opinion and did less and less free thinking. Also, due to the desperateness of the time, people needed a strong idea to follow. Problems were the Black Plague which caused confusion and panic. Plus there were frequent invasions which resulted in destruction and further panic. A result of all this was a collapse of the society.
III. Lack of information and general knowledge was another reason why this period is considered "dark." Many people were unable to read or write outside the church, so knowledge was twisted toward religion and not toward logic and science. This led following generations to sink deeper in ignorance, causing a vicious cycle. Because of the ignorance of the people, they were easier to manipulate. The church gained even more power since education was limited to church goers. Books were only handwritten by monks. The increase of power toward the church gave it the ability to silence any opposition, and thus causing less scholars for open-minded thinking. Many of the philosophies and ideas of the classical times became lost as the church replaced them with their own ideals.
IV. The term "The Dark Ages", which we use to describe the early Medieval period is somewhat inaccurate. The term was used as early as the 14th century by Petrarch due to the lack of Latin literature of the time. However, due to the influence of Petrarch many people started using the phrase and it stuck, mainly because of romantic literature. However, many people of the time were biased. At a time when many new inventions were taking place the people thought of past people as barbaric and saw themselves as better and more advanced, and therefore thought of the older times as dark, while they thought of themselves as being the best. Therefore the term the dark ages may represent personal opinion rather than being based upon fact.
There are characteristics that make a time period dark, most of which include either a collapse of society or a cultural decline. The Early Medieval Period is considered "dark" for several reasons. One is because of the religious absolutism at the time, where a person had two options: Follow the Catholic church or die. Catholic derives from several words that mean "universe" or "whole." A person who followed any other sect were considered heretics. Any opposition to the Catholic church resulted in excommunication. http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/middle-ages-religion.htm The Enlightenment, completely opposite from the Dark Ages, was when people began relying on science and logic rather than blind faith. The Enlightenment marks an end to the censorship of ideas (KevinS)
Several sources claim the Dark Ages were called so because little was known about them at the time. Indeed, the "Dark Ages" was first used by Petrarch, who lived in the 14th century. Few archeological finds and lack of knowledge in general resulted in the categorization of "dark" by the scholars looking back on the era. http://www.allabouthistory.org/the-dark-ages.htm The Renaissance philosophers believed they were rediscovering civilization, and considered the time periods before them barbaric. So, according to those sources, the term is simply outdated. (KevinS)
One reason why this period was considerd 'dark' was because there was no form of goverment when tribes began to turn into kindoms. The churchs began to take over and ruled everything. They believed that Christ had granted them goverment power. They forced everyone to become a christian.
"The History of the Dark Ages." History Channel. 2005. 1 Apr 2009 <http://www.history.com/content/darkages/history-of-the-dark-ages>.
This is also considerd the the dark because of all the wars that took place. During this time the Normans took over England in the battle of Hasting. King Harald of England also invaded England in the Battle of Stamford Bridge.
"The Conquest of England." the Norman Conquest . 1 Apr 2009 <http://normanconquest.co.uk/>. (JimmyA)
The Medieval period was known as the dark ages because people relied on religion to answer their questions. It also restricted a lot of literature and art. People were were considered dark because of superstition and ignorance. An era of ignorance, superstition, or social chaos or repression. http://www.answers.com/topic/dark-ages -DaveG
Also, there was little reading or writing during the dark ages outside of the church, and because of this without the church they could not become more informed so they were either uneducated or brainwashed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Middle_Ages - DaveG